Fluid drive



July 22 1941- H. w. ROBIN-SON FLUID DRIVE Filed Jan. 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 wmf.

I Inventor #ary /14 @A5/775021 i By ms@ A Homey Patented July 22, 1941 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE Harry W. Robinson, Sharpsvllle, Pa. c `Application January 28, 1941, Serial No. 376,374

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fluid drive, and has for the primary object the provision of a devicey of this character which willjreplace a clutch and without the engaging or disengaging of gears or the use of mechanical clutch units or elements and will have approximately a four to one gear reduction between the driven plate or disc of the device and the load shaft when the power source is acting to start the load from a standstill.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

-For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a iiuid drive constructed in accordance with my invention. v

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line M of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating one of the blades of the driven plate or disc of the device. and showing the different positions the blade may occupy.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the electrical means employed for adjusting the blade shown in Figure 4 to its different positions.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a drive shaft which may form a part of a power source such as an internal combustion engine, electric motor or the like, a fragmentary portion of which is indicated by the character I. Bolted on the end of the drive shaft 5 isahousing ladaptedtocontalnaliqllidand hasaremovablerearwalllprovidedwithan openinginaxialalignmentwiththedrivesbaft 5. -An auxiliarygearhousing Il isremovably moimtedontberearwallofthehoungland is provided with a bearixz Il also arranged in axial with the drive l and rotatably supporb a load or driven shaft l the forward end of which is piloted in a bearing opening I3 formed in the front plate or wall of the housing and which also is arranged in axial alignment with the drive shaft 5. The bearing II includes a packing gland I4 to prevent the liquid from escaping from the housings I vand I0 about the load or driven shaft.

The front and rear walls as well as the peripheral wall of the housing 'I have formed thereon blades I5. The blades I5 are arranged in three groups with the blades of each group in annular relation to each other. One group of the blades is formed on the front wall of the housing 1 while a second group is formed on the rear wall of the housing directly opposite the group of blades on the front wall, while the third group of blades is formed on the peripheral wall of the housing.

A driven' plate or disc I6 is journaled on the load or driven shaft I2 within the housing l, the hub of which is indicated by the character I1 and extends through the opening '9 into the gear housing III. The hub Il is of s uch a construction that it will receive roller bearings I8 for the support of the driven disc or plate on the load or driven shaft. Y

A peripheral iiange I9 is formed on the plate or disc I6 and extends at right angles thereto andrrotatably supports a plurality of'blades 20 which may be positioned to either parallel the group vof blades onthe peripheral wall of the` housing 1 or to extend at right angles thereto. The blades 20 include shafts 2| journaled in the peripheral ange I9 and an inner flange 22 formed on the disc or plate I6. Gears 23 are secured on the shafts 2l and mesh with a ring gear 24 journaled on the hub of the plate or disc I6. A means is provided for rotating the ring gear 24 in opposite directions for changing the positions of the blades -20 with respect to the Y blade on the housing 1.

When the blades 20 are positioned to parallel the blades on the /periphery of the housing 1, the

passage of liquid between the blades is substantially blocked off to anextent that when the housing 'I or the power shaft reaches a certain numbervof revolutions per minute the disc or plate II will rotate approximately the same numordisc II totheloador driven shaft I2 and isy located within the gear housing Il. The planetary gearing arrangement includes a sun gear 21 and gears 2|, "aand 2lb and a plurality of by the housings .l and -1. A gear 29a is provided on the hub I1 and meshes with gears 28. 28a and 28h. 'Ihe gear 21 meshes with the small- -er gears of the clustergears 28. 'lhe planetary gearing arrangement 2l will provide between the disc or plate It and the` load or driven shaft l2 approximately a four to one gear ratio which will act when the disc or plate IB starts its rotation from a non-rotating pomtion by the housing 1, consequently permitting the power source to take up the load'easily and smoothly. However, as the number of revolutions of the disc or plate Il increases by the increased rotation of the housing 1 the gear reduction between the plate or disc I C and the load or driven shaft l2 stops due to the arrangement of the planetary gearing. A substantially direct drive between the housing 1 and the load or driven shaft will be had when the disc il is rotating in the same direction as the housing 1 and at approximately the same number of revolutions per minute.

A solenoid 3l is pivotally mounted on the plate or disc I6, as shown at 32, and the core I3 thereof is pivotally mounted to a bracket 34 secured on the'ring gewr 24. The solenoid is electrically connected to a ground of an electric circuit, as shown in Figure 1, and also has an electric conductor 35 connected thereto which in turn connects to Va terminal 36 carried by and insulated from the ring gear and which is connected to a collector ring, 31 mounted on and insulated from the ring gear. vA spring iniluenced brush 38 is at a high rate of speed under the power of the engine and it is not desired to slow down the mounted on and insulated from the housing 1 and contacts the collector ring 31 and also a collector ring 39 mounted on and insulated from the housing 1.

A brush 40 is mounted on the xed portion of the motor or power source and insulated therefrom and has connected thereto a conductor 42 connected to a switch 43 located in convenient .reach of the operator. lThe switch 43 is electrically connected to a battery or other electrical source 44 connected to the ground, as shown at 45. lWhen the switch 43 is in a closed position the solenoid will be energized imparting rotation to the ring gear 24 to position the blades 20 at right angles to the group of blades on the peripheral wall of the housing 1 so as to permit a f-ree ilow of fluid between the blades of the device so that the load or power shaft will remain idle regardlessqof the speed of rotation of the power shaft 5.

To return the ring .gear 24 to a position of placing the blades 20 in parallelism with the4 group of blades on the peripheral wall of the housing 1, a coil spring 46 is connected to thel ring gear and tothe bracket 34 and acts on the immediate deenergization of the solenoid.

Stops 41 and 48 are formed on the housing 1 and the ring gear for the purpose of limiting the movement of the ring gear beyond a position of paralleling the blades 20 with the group of blades on the peripheral wall of the housing 1 when the spring acts at the time of the deenergization of the solenoid.

The electrical control for the ring gear need only be employed should the speed of the powerv shaft be at a high number of revolutions as wellA as the load shaft when it is desired to declutch the power.shaft from the load shaft as in the case of stopping an automobile when traveling speed of the engine through the use of the brakes of the vehicle.

When the housing 1 is rotating at idling speed check the passing of the fluid, the rotation of the disc I6 is decreased and brought to a stop and atthis time the load or driven shaft starts to rotate at a much decreased rate of speed over the speed of rotation of the drive shaft or housing.

'Ilhls reduction of speed of the load shaft is provided by the planetary gearing 26 and as th'e speed of the drive shaft increases the speed of the load shaft gradually increases until the disc I6 rotates at approximately thesame rate of speed as the speed of rotation of the housing 1 which at this time provides direct drive between the drive shaft and the vload-or driven shaft.

While I have shown and describedthe preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made. withoutA departing from .the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: e

1. In a iiuiddrive, a uid housing secured to and driven by a power source, blades mounted on walls of the housing and arranged in annular groups, a load shaft journaled inthe housing, a driven disc journaled on the shaft within the housing, blades coacting with the rst-named blades and fluid in the housing and rotatably interrupting the drive between said housing'and disc, a gear reduction drive means connecting the disc to the load. shaft, gears secured to the second-named blades, a ring gear rotatably mounted in the housing and meshing with said gears, coactive stops on the ring gear and the disc for limiting the rotation of the ring gear in one direction, a spring acting on the ring gear to bring the stops into engagement with each other, and electrical means connected to the ring gear and the disc for rotating the ring gear in a reverse direction from the spring.

2. In a iuid drive, a Huid housing secured to and driven by a power source, blades mounted on walls of the housing and arranged in annular groups, a load shaft journaled in the housing, a driven disc journaled on the shaft within the housing. blades coacting with the' first-named blades and fluid 'in the housing and rotatably mounted on the dise to establish a variable speed drive between the housing and the disc and for interrupting the drive between said housing and disc, a gear reduction drive means connecting the disc to the load shaft, gears secured to the second-named blades, a ring gear rotatably mounted in the housing. and meshing with said gears, coactive stops on the ring 'gear and the disc for limiting the rotation of the ring gear in one direction, and -force applying' means on the ring gear adapted to bring the stops into engagement with each other.

HARRY W. ROBINSON. 

